This invention related generally to systems for training and evaluating operators of vehicles such as automobiles, trucks, airplanes, trains, boats and the like.
Currently, vehicle operators may be trained using simulators. For example, aircraft training simulators are known which expose the operator to a variety of different conditions and evaluate the operator's response to those conditions. In addition, in automated driver testing, the driver may be asked a series of questions and his or her answers are then checked against the correct answers in a computer database. All of these approaches respond to the need to obtain better and lower cost evaluation and training of vehicle operators. This hopefully improves the performance of those operators and reduces their training cost.
Some characteristics of a good operator may be difficult to assess. A trainer may watch the operator for certain characteristics such as checking rear view mirrors, and checking gauges and the like. However, an objective evaluation of whether the person has mastered the skills necessary to operate the vehicle correctly may be difficult to obtain. For example, it may be difficult to compare the abilities of one driver quantitatively to those of other drivers.
Thus, there is a continuing need for better techniques for training and evaluating vehicle operators.